There is a vast range of Backgrounds and Traits for players to choose from in Starfield to help customize their character and immerse them deeper into the game’s lore-rich world.
Whether you’re hoping to craft the ideal space cowboy or start your career as a space thief, Starfield’s many Background and Trait options will help you with that.
But how many Backgrounds and Traits are there in the game, and what do they all do? Below, you’ll find a complete breakdown of each one.
Starfield All Backgrounds
There are 21 different Backgrounds available to the player in Starfield. Each one comes with three corresponding skills as well as flavor text to help immerse the player.
Backgrounds aren’t as important as Traits, as they only really affect the starting skills you’re more proficient in. However, they are more tailored to helping players roleplay the character they wish to be.
Here are all 21 Backgrounds and their corresponding skills in Starfield:
| Background | Skills |
| Beast Hunter | Fitness Ballistics Gastronomy |
| Bouncer | Boxing Security Fitness |
| Bounty Hunter | Piloting Targeting Control Systems Boost Pack Training |
| Chef | Gastronomy Dueling Scavenging |
| Combat Medic | Pistol Certification Medicine Wellness |
| Cyber Runner | Stealth Security Theft |
| Cyberneticist | Medicine Security Lasers |
| Diplomat | Persuasion Commerce Wellness |
| Explorer | Lasers Astrodynamics Surveying |
| Gangster | Shotgun Certification Boxing Theft |
| Homesteader | Geology Surveying Weight Lifting |
| Industrialist | Persuasion Security Research Methods |
| Long Hauler | Weight Lifting Piloting Ballistic Weapon Systems |
| Pilgrim | Scavenging Surveying Gastronomy |
| Professor | Astrodynamics Geology Research Methods |
| Ronin | Dueling Stealth Scavenging |
| Sculptor | Medicine Geology Persuasion |
| Soldier | Fitness Ballistics Boost Pack Training |
| Space Scoundrel | Pistol Certification Piloting Persuasion |
| Xenobiologist | Lasers Surveying Fitness |
| [File Not Found] | Wellness Ballistics Piloting |
Make sure to check out what each skill affects in Starfield to get a clear idea of which Background best suits your character build.
Starfield All Traits
There are 17 unique Traits for the player to choose from in Starfield. At the beginning of the game, you can pick 3 of them.
Each Trait dramatically alters how you will play the game and even some of the content you can access. Some just offer stat boosts, while others give you exclusive features.
Here are all 17 Traits and their corresponding effect:
| Trait | Effect |
| Alien DNA | You volunteered for a controversial experiment that combines alien and human DNA. As a result, you start with increased health and oxygen, but healing and food items aren’t as effective. |
| Dream Home | You own a luxurious, customizable house on a peaceful planet! Unfortunately, it comes with a 125,000 credit mortgage with GalBank that has to be paid weekly. |
| Empath | You are deeply connected to the feelings of others. Performing actions your companion likes will result in a temporary increase in combat effectiveness. But, performing actions they don’t like will have the precise opposite effect. |
| Extrovert | You’re a people person. Exerting yourself uses less oxygen when adventuring with human companions, but more when adventuring alone. (Incompatible with Introvert) |
| Freestar Collective Settler | You gain access to special Freestar Collective dialogue options, and better rewards from some missions given by the faction. But, crime bounty towards other factions is greatly increased. (Incompatible with Neon Street Rat, United Colonies Native) |
| Hero Worshipped | You’ve earned the attention of an annoying “Adoring Fan” who will show up randomly and jabber at you incessantly. He’ll join your ship’s crew and give you gifts. |
| Introvert | You really need your alone time. Exerting yourself uses less oxygen when adventuring alone, but more when adventuring with human companions. |
| Kid Stuff | Your parents are alive and well, and you can visit them at their home. But you will automatically send 2% of your credits home to them every week. |
| Neon Street Rat | You grew up on the mean streets of Neon. You gain access to special dialogue options, and better rewards from some missions on Neon. Crime bounty by other factions is greatly increased. (Incompatible with Freestar Collective Settler and United Colonies Native) |
| Raised Enlightened | You grew up as a member of the Enlightened. You gain access to a special chest full of items in the House of the Enlightened in New Atlantis, but lose access to the Sanctum Universum chest. (Incompatible with Raised Universal and Serpent’s Embrace) |
| Raised Universal | You grew up as a member of the Sanctum Universum. You gain access to a special chest full of items in the Sanctum Universum in New Atlantis, but lose access to the House of the Enlightened chest. (Incompatible with Raised Enlightened and Serpent’s Embrace) |
| Serpent’s Embrace | You grew up worshiping the Great Serpent. Grav jumping provides a temporary boost to health and oxygen, but health and oxygen are lowered if you don’t continue jumping regularly – like an addiction. (Incompatible with Raised Enlightened and Raised Universal) |
| Spaced | Your body has become acclimated to space. Health and oxygen are increased when in space, but decreased when on the surface. (Incompatible with Terra Firma) |
| Taskmaster | Occasionally, if you have crew trained in a certain ship system, that system will automatically repair itself to full health whenever it is damaged below 50%. However, all crew cost twice as much to hire. |
| Terra Firma | You’ve never acclimated to space. Health and oxygen are increased when on the surface, but decreased when you’re in space. (Incompatible with Spaced) |
| United Colonies Native | You gain access to special United Colonies dialogue options, and better rewards from some missions given by the faction. However, crime bounty by other factions is greatly increased. (Incompatible with Freestar Collective Settler and Neon Street Rat) |
| Wanted | Someone put a price on your head, and the word has spread. Occasionally, armed mercenaries will show up and try to kill you, but being cornered gives you the edge – when your health is low, you do extra damage. |
